What is the challenge your project is going to address and how does it connect to the theme of 'How can we improve across system boundaries?​

General Practice is under immense pressure to deliver a range of services against the backdrop of increasing demand. Given this demand, we need to improve access sustainably and equitably while maximising productivity and reducing waste.​

Winchester City Primary Care Network is a mature, innovative organisation with strong links with Community and Secondary Care. We want to reimagine access to general practice through the use of in-practice health hubs and a novel health hub specialist. The novel role and associated health hubs will serve to improve access to healthcare and reduce digital inequality by providing:

• An interoperable health kiosk for recording metrics, changing personal data and undertaking pre- and post-consultation information as well as accessing relevant health information.
• Scheduled and ‘drop-in’ access for health and wellbeing advice and digital support
• Improved signposting for patient care journeys and enhanced practice efficiency
• Increased collaboration with community groups and charities

What does your project aim to achieve?

Given the novelty of the non-reimbursed additional role, we aim to pilot the Health Hub Specialist through employment, training and support for their role alongside the Practice based health hubs. This will help us understand what works and for whom and overcome any barriers. It will allow us to refine aims, activity and training needs and establish much needed community links. This will allow us to enhance General Practice ‘front of house’ care and disseminate learning to colleagues in Primary Care and the wider NHS.

The health hub specialist will work on:
1. Developing first hand experience of challenges around access and NHS navigation.
2. Offering, advertising and hosting digital training sessions for those willing but not able to be supported by digital solutions
3. Networking with NHS colleagues and community groups to develop processes and provisions for effective health hubs.

How will the project be delivered?

Between May 2024 and June 2025, we will undertake the following:
1. Establish and run a monthly working group, including Practice staff and Patient Reference Group members.
2. Finalise the new role specification and HR requirements.
3. Advertise and interview for the post.
4. Visit and learn from existing health hubs.
5. Develop governance protocols and pilot the new health kiosks.
6. Provide professional development for the health hub specialist
7. Undertake a patient engagement campaign about the new role and health hubs.

How is your project going to share learning?

The working group will be the hub for receiving all intelligence and learning. The monthly working groups meetings will allow an avenue for dissemination of information. This will be in the form of a highlight report for the Q community, HIOW ICB, Winchester City Council and Community Groups including Trinity Winchester. The highlight report will detail progress on objectives, issues and risk identified and lessons learnt.

A detailed end of project report will combine and reflect on the highlight reports. This will be shared with all stake holders. An article will be written for requested publication in a Health Science Journal.

Health Innovation Wessex will also be evaluating the impact of the health hub in St Clements Surgery on patient care and equity of service as part of the new building post-evaluation.